Page 8 of Newly Undead in Dark River

“Alice's practice is on the other side of the town square. We'll walk if you like.” We crossed the road, although there was no traffic. Why bother when you could super speed everywhere.

“Have you made a decision about staying?”

I heaved out a sigh. Giving up my family, my life back home, it would be like dying all over again. “I'm not sure. What would I have to do, exactly?”

“Cut off all ties with your old life, change your identity, swear to uphold the values of the town. We have people that help you with the transition, of course. People who will work you up some new documents and help you adjust to our lifestyle. There are three months of compulsory therapy, as well. We'll set you up with a job within the town, so you can earn a living. You can go on trips and leave town, of course, this isn't a prison, but you have to have an escort for the first six months until you have the initial thirst under control. We learned that one the hard way.” There was a sadness in his voice, and I sensed a story around that.

“How long has the town been here? I assume it didn't start out a vampire colony.” Getting tradespeople in would have been a nightmare.

“It was abandoned by humans about a hundred and fifty years ago after the gold boom was over. Five or so vampires bought it with a vision of a better life for us, one out of the shadows. So far, it has worked well. Every year we have one or two new vampires petition to join the town.”

We walked the rest of the way in silence. I had a lot to think over, and I was getting hungry again. And not just for blood. I was going to have to ask Alice if this overwhelming need to rip off Walker's clothes and ravish him was something to do with being a vampire or my normal hormones. Let's face it, I probably would have had a hard time resisting him if I'd stumbled into town human.

“What happens when humans come through? Surely they must realize something is off?”

He nodded. “It's been known to happen, even though we are completely off the beaten track up here. We aren't on the road to anywhere, and we have no accommodation. So in most cases, they come into the gas station, fuel up and move on. Or they'll stop in at the diner and Bert will make them something absolutely abhorrent and they'll leave. This isn't an inviting town for the weary traveler.”

It wasn't an inviting town for anyone with a normal heart rate and their mortality intact. There was probably a good chance you wouldn't get out alive.

Chapter Three

“So, you'll need to feed every twelve to eighteen hours for the first fifty years, after which the thirst begins to subside, and you can drink less. Your body no longer produces its own blood, so a steady diet of blood, while your organs adjust, is essential. If you plan on losing any, for whatever reason, you'll need to either stock up beforehand, or replace it immediately. It is possible for vampires to die of exsanguination.”

Alice had pulled out one of those medical mannequins and had pointed to all the differences my new vampire status had given me. For instance, not only could I run faster and live forever, my body was now less limited. I could jump higher and further, my strength was almost limitless, I could see like an owl in the dark, and my sense of smell was akin to a bloodhound. For all intents and purposes, I was now a superman, minus the lycra and the flying, much to my chagrin. During the discussion about my increased libido, Walker had excused himself on Sheriff business, promising to return for me later.

“Your new senses will be overwhelming for a while, so I suggest you adjust to coming out in the day slowly. A lot of the older vampires can walk around during the day without a problem, but I suggest you try coming out into the light a little at a time. Maybe try a minute or two earlier each day. Don't push it, you can do serious damage to yourself that will take decades to repair. You are lucky you only exposed yourself to the light for a few seconds earlier.” She made a tsking noise while shining a light into my eyes. Artificial light didn't seem to burn my eyes like sunlight. “Also, your sex drive is going to be in hyperdrive for a few months, maybe even years. Sometimes even decades. I suggest you find yourself a bed partner or start a running tab over at the Stop'n'Shop for double D batteries. For vampires, our heightened predatory senses want us to hunt and obliterate our prey. When we deny that urge, we compensate by giving into another animalistic instinct. To mate, and mate a lot. But no humans. Ever. Biting and sex are now intrinsically linked. I don't have to elaborate on how that could go bad.”

I just stared at her. None of my human doctors ever prescribed getting laid. Well, that explained why I looked at Walker like he was a block of chocolate, and I was on the Paleo diet. My mind wandered to Judge. Now I know what he'd been offering, and why Walker was so uptight about it. Thinking about the hard lines of Judge’s torso made parts of my own body clench in a way I didn't know was possible.

Alice packed me up with a little cooler full of blood bags and a pamphlet that was aptly named ‘So You're a Vampire, Now What?’ There were diagrams and everything. Though, why the town had a doctor was beyond me. If no one got sick, and I was an anomaly, then what did she do all day?

The doctor's office was a two-story building, the lower level built from stone, and the upper levels were vertical pine cladding. The whole town looked like someone had hewn it from the surrounding wilderness.

The town was centered around a central square, and it looked like someone had recreated a Monet painting. A whimsical bridge crossed a large pond, and there was an ornate rotunda sat off to one side. Large poplar trees spread their branches, and cement benches provided quiet little nooks for lovers and friends. The town had strung fairy lights through the trees and around the rotunda, and it looked magical.

“I see you are enjoying our little piece of paradise.” I whipped around, my hand clasped to my chest. A lady in her late fifties, her dark hair streaked with grey, stood behind me smiling. She looked like a dark-haired, Helen Mirin. Her smile was warm and welcoming.

“You must be Mika. I am Catherine, one of the founders of the town. Welcome to Dark River.” She had one of those faces that seemed familiar. Like she was your next-door neighbor as a child, or your kindergarten teacher or librarian or something. She just made you feel fuzzy.

“Thank you. It's been a bit of a whirlwind.”

We continued walking across the square. “The situation of your turning is most regrettable. Have you thought about staying in town?”

I bit my lip, my fangs pressing sharply. “I'm still undecided. The town is beautiful though. You have done a wonderful job. Everyone is so nice.”

She patted my arm fondly. “We are a close-knit group. I don't think anyone from Dark River could have done such an awful thing. It must have been an outsider who dropped you here because they knew we would care for you.”

Like the unwanted baby drop bin at a fire station.

Don't think you can care for your undead offspring? Safely deposit it in the baby vamp drop drain under the sign!

I just smiled tightly. We reached the edge of the town square, and I saw Walker talking to a woman with really, really big hair. Like Jersey big.

“There's Walker. It's been nice meeting you, Catherine.” The woman inclined her head and gave me a little finger wave.

I really wanted to try the superspeed thing, like the guy last night, and I thought this was a safe place to try it. Although I had no idea what I was doing, I figured it would be like learning to walk. I'd just instinctively know.

I concentrated on my feet and then ran as fast as I could across the empty road. I was across in a split second, my focus intent on Walker, but I had no idea how to stop. My feet were moving too fast for me to put on the brakes, and I plowed straight into the Sheriff, knocking us both down onto the pavement. His arms wrapped around my waist to stop my momentum, and we landed with a thud.

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